Physical support structures are often useful to physically support an article without requiring that an individual hold, carry, or otherwise physically support the article. For example, many devices (e.g., electronic devices) include physical support structures that allow the devices to be physically supported without the intervention of a user.
Recently, the prevalence and use of personal electronic devices has grown. Often times these personal electronic devices are portable and designed to facilitate easy transport by a user (e.g., by physically holding the device, stowing the device in the user's clothing and/or belongings, etc.). Accordingly, portability may be a key design factor for such portable electronic devices. However, as portable electronic devices are more commonly used, users of portable electronic devices may desire that the devices be physically supported so that the device may be interacted with (e.g., viewed, manipulated, used, or otherwise interacted with) without requiring the individual to physically support the device.
In one example, a user may desire to physically support a cellular telephone without the user having to physically support the device. For instance, the user may want a convenient location to dispose the device when not in use such that the telephone may still be viewed, easily accessed, and/or otherwise interacted with (e.g., to visually monitor a phone display, dial the phone, answer a telephone call, be within range of a microphone of the telephone, etc.), without having to hold, carry, or otherwise support the telephone.
In another example, portable tablet computer devices are becoming more commonly used as primary or auxiliary monitors for displaying graphics, video and the like. However, as such tablet computer devices are often designed to be portable, the user of a tablet computer device may be required to hold the device or employ impromptu support structures that may not securely physically support the device. These solutions may lead to fatigue by the user and/or may increase the potential for damage to the device (e.g., the device may more easily be dropped, may be more likely to fall from a surface, may be more likely to become scratched, etc.). In this regard, the lack of viable physical support options for portable electronic devices that do not impede the portability of the devices may limit the use of portable electronic devices in certain contexts.
A number of solutions have been attempted. For example, cases, covers, or the like, that incorporate support structures have been developed for certain portable electronics devices. For example, a case may include folding panels that, when properly arranged, form a support structure for a device. However, such support structures often suffer from instability as the functionality of the support structure is often secondary to the primary use of the cover for protection of the portable device. For example, the number and/or range of positions in which the device may be supported may be limited (e.g., to a near vertical and/or near horizontal position). Furthermore, the folding of the panels of such a case often results in the case becoming permanently bent or otherwise distorted, thus leading to a reduction in utility as a protective case and a reduction in the aesthetics of the case. Additionally, such cases are often specifically designed for a single device, such that they cannot be used interchangeably with a number of devices.
Other attempted solutions also suffer from the lack of interchangeability between devices. For example, mounting devices that are contoured to the shape of a device in order to retain the device have been provided. However, as these mounting devices are often custom shaped to a particular device, the mounting devices are not interchangeable. Moreover, such devices may also be limited in the number of positions in which the device may be supported. For instance, the mounting devices may require rigid mounting to a support structure that severely limits the potential range of positions of the device.